TOAD or E-bikes?

Elkman · 12-31-2020, 12:49 PM

I know the pros and cons of a toad attached to an RV and I am curious as to anyone who has done this and then switched to using e-bikes instead.

DavidM · 12-31-2020, 01:33 PM

I am not going to try a toad with our new Thor Axis. The MH is compact enough to get around and park in shopping centers etc. But I am thinking about an e scooter or bike.

One issue is recharging. No problem if you are hooked up with power, but dry camping concerns me. I would probably have to run the generator for several hours to charge it up. That is annoying and ruins the peacefulness of dry camping.

Solar recharging is a possibility but it would have to be dedicated to the scooter/bike as the battery is usually 48 volts. It would take 200 watts of panels a full day to recharge one.

David

deucehotrods · 12-31-2020, 03:10 PM

It depends on the weather you encounter - hot or cold, rain or snow. I personally prefer comfort and safety. When you are on any two wheeled vehicle you are exposed to the weather and other drivers mistakes or carelessness.

**creativepart** · 12-31-2020, 04:06 PM

Both!

We have a toad and folding Blix Vika+ electric bikes. Sure there are a few times the bike would suffice but it's like 2% of the time.

https://blixbike.com/products/vika-e...c-folding-bike

The electric bike is great - I've put 800 miles on it since last December. But the toad is more than handy it's a necessity in my book.

The bikes fold small enough to fit in the MKX SUV's rear storage. No rack needed.

gurroz · 12-31-2020, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidM

One issue is recharging. No problem if you are hooked up with power, but dry camping concerns me. I would probably have to run the generator for several hours to charge it up. That is annoying and ruins the peacefulness of dry camping.

Solar recharging is a possibility but it would have to be dedicated to the scooter/bike as the battery is usually 48 volts. It would take 200 watts of panels a full day to recharge one.

David

We dry camp almost exclusively. When we got our ebikes we purchased a separate 160W foldable portable solar panel for our 500W Bluetti lithium battery pack and use our 200W solar suitcase for the coach batteries. We can charge both ebike batteries to a full charge each day. We do not run our batteries dead on the ebikes in one day. They will go 40 to 45 miles on a charge. In reality, we rarely ride more than 20 miles in a day. We only run the generator to power the microwave, hairdryer, and curling iron. Our rig is only 26' long so a toad is not really any value. We use the ebikes locally and take the MH when needed.

DavidM · 12-31-2020, 04:39 PM

What e bike has a 40-50 mile range (with no pedaling)?

David

gurroz · 12-31-2020, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidM

What e bike has a 40-50 mile range (with no pedaling)?

David

Our Rad Power Bikes have a 45-mile range. I don't think you will get 45 miles without pedaling. I can say my wife (much lighter than me) has gotten 40 miles on one charge and she does not pedal. That was done on flat ground in the Phoenix area. I always pedal, it just seems like the thing your suppose to do on a bicycle.

Elkman · 01-01-2021, 11:29 AM

"Solar recharging is a possibility but it would have to be dedicated to the scooter/bike as the battery is usually 48 volts. It would take 200 watts of panels a full day to recharge one."

It is the Watt hour capacity that matters and not the voltage of the battery. The e-bike batteries use battereris of 14 Ah so with solar alone two of them can be recharged each day with 160W of panel production. They can also be recharging while driving the motorhome using a DC to DC charger setup. The Blitz bike battery packs take 5 hours to get to a full charge IF they are fully drained.

The Blitz bikes have up to 70 miles of range with their Packa cargo e-bike that can take two battery packs. Their bikes sell for under $2,000. Or one can buy an eibike for under $500 from a place like Best Buy with less range.

Studies have found that people with e-bikes tend to go further and ride longer than those on regular bicycles. Going up a hill the rider will pedal and the electric motor provides assistance which helps both the rider and the motor/battery. The real issue is the weight as the e-bikes weigh more than 50 lbs or more than double the weight of a regular road or mountain bicycle.

rheine3 · 01-03-2021, 09:59 PM

We've been hauling Rad Power Bikes for over a year with a class A. Almost every RV park we stay in has a grocery or Walmart inside 5 miles. That's a simple fun ride on an ebike. I have the Rad Wagon. I can haul a lot. But that's just supplies.

A toad has some big pluses to offset the minuses. If you venture to a place where there are numerous attractions to explore like San Antonio or Durango, a toad is a game changer. We have used Uber many times in these areas and that has worked OK for us.

**creativepart** · 01-04-2021, 08:14 AM

The big plus, other than the enhanced mobility, for a toad is that if you have a problem on the road, no matter how remote you are when it happens, you have a vehicle to go find help.

sundog964 · 01-04-2021, 09:24 AM

We have "needed" a Toad a few times, where the e-bike wouldn't suffice. Oregon, Crater Lake, the campground was an hour away, and riding an bike around the park would be challenging. We don't yet have a Toad, so we drove the Vista around the park, on very narrow windy roads. The wife was not happy.

GaryKowal1 · 01-04-2021, 04:40 PM

I went the opposite way of you. I had the Class C RV towing a Jeep already. I would NEVER give up my toad. I prefer to boondock.

However two years ago I added an E-bike that I carry on the back of the toad. Have a small inverter (400W) on The RV. I can remove the E-Bike battery and recharge it from the inverter., or park it next to the door and leave it attached. I carry a second battery also. If you are using the RV on the road, the alternator takes care of keeping house batteries charged, hence the EBike also at same time. When I know I will be travelling in the RV I sometimes will swap batteries so I can charge them when travelling.

I am frugal about electricity so my 200W solar panels on the roof tend to keep up with normal demands. I also have two 100 watt suitcase panels that I can set up if needed. I like them because I can park in the shade when hoi and move them out in full sun.

But everyone has different likes and needs. What works for me may not work for the next camper. When I boondock I am normally a long way from anything, so toad required. I also like to go 4 wheel Jeepin. But if I am 5 or 10 miles from town, or just want some exercise, I break out the Ebike.

Twice last year while camped on the Colorado River, I took the toad downstream 10 miles or so and left it there. Then used the Ebike to get back to RV. After kayaking 10 miles downstream I arrive at Jeep and load up Kayak and head back to RV. Did it once in reverse, bringing the Jeep upstream, kayaking back to RV, then Using Ebike to retrieve the Jeep.

Good luck.

Elkman · 01-05-2021, 03:58 PM

With our new Navion there is not the capacity to tow anything heavier than 2900 lbs with the low GCCW of the Sprinter 3500 cab chassis. Need a Ford Transit E450 based RV to have the capacity to tow a Jeep or similar vehicle.

I recently found that the new 125AH lithium phosphate batteries could be taken from 80% SOC to 100% with 25 minutes of generator run time. I would expect something similar with the lthium-ion battery packs used on the many e-bikes. A second battery costs $600 so not a big deal to have one charging while the other battery is in use.

With a Class A a toad is essential. With a Class B it is not needed. With a Class C it all depends on how you like to travel. For use to have to setup camp first and then head out with the toad would entail a lot of backtracking during our travels. Might as well stay at a hotel or B&B if we are going to do that.

GTobey · 01-06-2021, 05:38 PM

Why not do both? I just received my Lectric XP bike two days ago! It is awesome! It will fold and fit in the back of my Jeep Liberty that is my toad. Looking forward to the additional wheels! Check out lectricbikes.com

Mikeknapp · 01-06-2021, 05:47 PM

We tow the toad when the weather is crummy, throw the E bikes on our RV rack alone when it is nice, and BOTH if we are out for more than a week.
We just put the hitch rack on the jeep and roll the whole mess down the road!

We can also fold the E bikes and stuff them in the toad or RV if needed.
We like the flexibility.

HappiHenri · 01-06-2021, 07:53 PM

Depends, depends, depends.

What type RV do you have - Class A? Class C? Trailer? 5th Wheel?

If you have a trailer or 5th wheel then you can use your tow vehicle to get around, but still bring bicycles with you for recreational use.

DO NOT plan on using bicycles as regular vehicles to go into town for shopping, etc. Due to vagaries of weather, roads and very limitied carrying capacity you will not find them suitable -at all.

We live full time in our Class A, towing a Honda CRV behind. If we did not have that TOAD we could not live full time very easily. We also carry regular bicycles with us, which are fun to ride to close by attractions and for fun when weather is good.

If you do much RV traveling at all you will need a supplemental vehicle to get around in. Bikes are fun additions, but not at all substitutes for a real vehicle.

Elkman · 01-06-2021, 08:05 PM

My new Navion Class C can tow at most a 3,000 lb four-down toad with its limited GCWR. It I had planned to tow another vehicle I would have bought something built on the Ford F-450 instead of the Sprinter 3500.

ldfeat · 01-07-2021, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elkman

I know the pros and cons of a toad attached to an RV and I am curious as to anyone who has done this and then switched to using e-bikes instead.

Both

ldfeat · 01-07-2021, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elkman

I know the pros and cons of a toad attached to an RV and I am curious as to anyone who has done this and then switched to using e-bikes instead.

Both unless it has to be either or. Then toad. Larry 2014 Reyo P

Sheilag1848 · 01-10-2021, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elkman

I know the pros and cons of a toad attached to an RV and I am curious as to anyone who has done this and then switched to using e-bikes instead.

We have a 2020 Buick Envision for a Toad and carry 2 ebikes on the back of the Buick with a heavy duty cover over the 2 bikes. Great to have both. Good luck